Sports Medicine

Contact Us

The goal of our staff is to provide the best possible care for you. We are interested in your health and safety, and in your ability to perform to your potential as an athlete and as a person. To this end, we have assembled a very fine staff of athletic trainers and physicians.

Understand that one of the most important components to achieving our goal is good communication. If you have issues which affect your ability to perform (i.e. injury, illness, stress) or any other questions, please let us know. It is a cooperative effort to maintain your health and wellness.

Staff

Shaun Toomey, Head Athletic Trainer, came to Westminster in 1987 after stints with Central Michigan University and the Buffalo Bills. He completed his undergraduate work at Miami University in Ohio and attended Indiana State University for graduate school. Shaun's wife Jennifer teaches elementary school. They have two sons, Connor, 20, and Cormick, 18.

Misty Motter, Asssistant Athletic Trainer, joined the Westminster staff in the fall of 2004. She started at Westminster College through Sharon Regional Health System until Westminster hired her full-time. She completed her undergraduate degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2003. Misty and her husband, Mathew, reside in Enon Valley. They have two sons, Nolan, 7 and Noah, 2.

Dr. Howard Phillips, M.D., Team Orthopaedic, has been at Westminster since 1992. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Penn State University in 1967. After graduation, he went to the University of West Virginia where he graduated in 1971 with a Doctor of Medicine Degree. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hand Surgery. He has been at Hermitage Orthopedics and Sports Medicine since 2004.

Dr. David Tonnies, M.D., Orthopaedic Surgical Consultant, joined Westminster in 1999. He graduated from The Ohio State University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Molecular Genetics. He proceeded to continue his education at The Ohio State University College of Medicine graduating with a Medical Doctorate in 1992. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He manages the Hermitage Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic in Hermitage, Pennsylvania.

Returning Athletes

We hope that your summer was enjoyable and that you are physically and mentally ready to return to Westminster. If you have had any injury or condition which has affected your ability to train and you have not already contacted us, please do so immediately.

After reading this letter complete and submit the medical forms (consult checklist at the bottom). This information needs to be on file before an athlete can be cleared for competition and practices. The deadline for returning forms: Fall Sports - July 15th, Winter/Spring Sports - August 1st. Should there ever be a change in the information (address, phone numbers, insurance coverage/policy numbers) please inform us so that we can keep our records current.

Special notice to all athletes who are on medication for ADD/ADHD: the NCAA rules for verifying the condition have been revised. You must have a letter from your doctor which verifies the diagnosis and includes the testing which was used in the determination. The ADHD Guidelines Attachment can be downloaded and given to your doctor to facilitate the process.

If you have had any changes to your insurance please update the Insurance Information Form. Please include a COPY of your insurance card as well.

If you are CURRENTLY under the care of a physician please access the Release of Information form so that the doctor will be able to forward any pertinent information to us. Remember that if you are using any type of supplement to send me an email with the specifics of the product name, manufacturer & dosage.

Remember that if you are using or considering a supplement then you should use the recording sheet and submit the information to us in order to ensure that there are no banned substances in those products. For additional information you may also consult the REC.

The NCAA has implemented a rule that every student athlete must provide documentation of his/her sickle cell trait status or complete a waiver program in order to be cleared for participation. The NCAA Sickle Cell Trait Fact Sheet provides information about the condition. In the medical information checklist there is a form which explains the procedures/options for the student-athlete.

Congratulations on your choice of Westminster College! Please take a moment and read the following information thoroughly; it addresses a number of important issues in your transition to college athletics.

After reading this letter complete and submit the medical forms. This information needs to be on file before an athlete can be cleared for competition and practices. The deadline for returning forms: Fall Sports - July 15th, Winter/Spring Sports - August 1st. Should there ever be a change in the information (address, phone numbers, insurance coverage/policy numbers) please inform us so that we can keep our records current.

With regards to insurance coverage for athletic injuries, there is a supplemental insurance policy which is provided for student-athletes. This is a secondary policy to cover expenses which are not met by your primary plan. This applies to injuries sustained during practice/competition within the NCAA recognized "in-season" period for his/her sport.

Please note with the College Admission Physical form you received in the admission package, at the bottom of the last page your signature is required under the participation in athletics section.

If there has been any past medical condition, injury or illness which resulted in restricted activity level, surgery or physical therapy then please make a copy of the Release of Information Form. Complete that form and forward it to the doctor that treated the condition so that information can be released to us.

As an NCAA institution Westminster College supports and participates in the NCAA's drug testing program. This means that any athlete in post-season NCAA Championship competitions may be randomly selected for drug testing. The NCAA List of Banned Drug Classes is included for you to examine. If you are using any prescription or over-the-counter medication please make sure that you list it/them on the medical history form when you complete it. If you are using or considering the use of any type of nutritional supplement then please contact me, either by phone or email. There are many supplements, even those sold over-the-counter, which contain substances which are banned by the NCAA. We want to make certain that you are not, even unknowingly, in violation of NCAA rules. Also, we want to prevent any potentially harmful side effects from occurring; there is a great deal of misinformation circulating with regard to supplements. For more information you can consult www.drugfreesport.com.

Also, if you are on medication for ADD/ADHD in accordance with NCAA rules specific information must be sent from the treating physician which describes the assessment and treatment. The ADHD Guidelines Attachment can be downloaded and given to the doctor in order to facilitate this process.

In accordance with NCAA rules regarding sickle cell trait, intercollegiate athletes must either provide documentation of sickle cell trait status or go through the waiver process prior to being cleared for sport participation. The NCAA Sickle Cell Trait Fact Sheet provides information about the condition. In the medical information checklist there is a form which explains the procedures/options for the student-athlete.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me either by phone or email.

Host Sports Medicine Provisions

We would like to extend the hospitality of Westminster College to you.

At all the athletic events we will provide water, cups and ice on the sidelines. Our training room in Memorial Field House will be open at least one hour prior to any contest. If you have special needs we have a well equipped facility (US, Laser, NMES, vacuum splints, crutches, whirlpool, hot packs, etc.). If your team is not traveling with an athletic trainer we will not be able to perform any modalities prior to the game.

Should your team be traveling without a trainer we will be happy to tape your athletes provided they bring the necessary supplies.

A certified athletic trainer will be present at all home events.

Visiting Football Teams

Home football games are played at Burry Stadium directly behind Memorial Field House. The surface is Field Turf monofilament. Outside the locker rooms in Memorial Field House there is a coed taping and treatment area. If you have any special needs, our athletic training room is just around the corner.

On the sidelines:

3-4 Water Coolers

Cups

Ice Chest

Biohazard Container

Treatment Table

Locker Room:

Cart with Water & Ice

Taping Tables

Treatment Table

During football games, the team physician (Dr. Howard Phillips) and an ambulance will be on the sidelines if the event should arise they are needed.

Pertinent Phone Numbers

New Wilmington Family Medicine Associates P.C.
724-946-8979

Drs. Tonnies & Phillips (Orthopedists)
724-346-2677

Sharon Regional Health System (ER)
740 East State Street, Sharon, PA 16148
(10mi. north of New Wilmington in downtown Sharon)
724-983-3911

Even though we do not have an athletic training curriculum, because Westminster College is an exceptional liberal arts school the acceptance rate for our graduates into medical school, physical therapy and other medical professional programs is very high.

Students are able to work with our sports medicine staff to supplement their education and gain valuable practical experience. Some students volunteer their time while others who are eligible for work-study can be assigned to the athletic training room as their work setting. Others pursue internships or independent study under our supervision for academic credit.

We are very aware that those who work with us are students first. Great attention is given to ensure that students are maintaining their academic focus and that the time spent in our setting does not interfere with their studies.
Please contact us if you are interested in pursuing any of these routes.

Medical Forms

If you have not already done so, please read the informational letter for new athletes.